


The Boxer

by heyidkyay



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Boxer Harry Styles, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Oneshot, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:02:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23884927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyidkyay/pseuds/heyidkyay
Summary: At the age of twelve Harry’s life is turned upside down. After a traumatic experience, he leaves school and finds comfort in boxing. Six years later and Harry finds himself facing some of his former demons.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 1
Kudos: 45





	The Boxer

Harry was an incredibly talented boxer, he was well on his way to being on the Olympic team. Boxing was just an outlet at first, his mum got him into it to get out all his frustrations and anger, but mostly as a way to learn to stand up for himself. He wasn't an unhappy child at all, but he had been severely bullied all throughout school.

His mum, Anne, only found out about it after Harry had stumbled home one afternoon with a broken leg and nose, multiple bruises, fractured ribs and deep cuts across his back. He was only twelve. The kids had always made fun of him for everything and anything they could, but when Harry came out it only got worse, it led to him getting beaten up almost everyday. 

So when Harry was discharged from the hospital, he and Anne decided to let him do his studies at home, they didn't want to risk anything else endangering him. It was easier for Harry at home, he wasn't so sad anymore, and didn't have to watch his back wherever he went.

Once Harry had finally healed, Anne wanted to get him into some self defence classes, just as a procautionary measure. Harry didn't mind much, he liked exercise and had always loved jogging, so they looked into many different activities.

That's when they found boxing. Harry was very intrigued by it, he spent hours watching training videos and matches after Anne signed him up.

It was one on one sessions with a professional trainer, the guys name was Alex, he had boxed since he was a teen and was now was in his late thirties. When they first met at the gym Alex had been incredibly nice and so welcoming, Harry instantly warmed to him.

When Anne had explained Harry's situation to Alex, the man knew how much it had affected both the woman and her son, he wanted to help. So whenever Harry wasn't studying, he was at the gym training. He and Alex just clicked, Harry found a father figure in him, and the two grew very close.

Alex believed in Harry's ability from the very beginning, the lad could throw a good punch, and Alex often wondered why Harry hadn't ever fought back. 

By the time Harry hit fifteen he was a different person altogether, he was stronger, wiser, and more in control. He was still Harry of course, ever so kind, caring and happy, just now he was a lot more confident in himself. Harry lived and breathed boxing, always working as hard as he could, Alex had gotten him into matches and competitions, and he had never lost one.

The year after that, he had been scouted, Alex and his mum were incredibly proud of him and how far he had come. His matches were more often, with all kinds of opponents, at larger arenas, people in the industry knew of him, he was suspected to be the next big thing.

So now at seventeen, he had yet to go back to school, he had finished his exams of course at home but he knew he had to think about his Alevels and Uni. As much as he loved boxing, he knew that he had to have a backup plan in case something went wrong.

Alex and his mum sat him down after one late night training session, Harry knew what was coming. "Haz, we've gotta speak about your schooling." Anne started, Harry just nodded, he had been expecting this to come up in conversation for a while now.

"I know you can go far with boxing H, but what if you take a fall and injure yourself and can't fight again? What will you do without any qualifications or a backup plan?" Alex questioned, his tone was firm but laced with a little worry. Harry knew the man was only looking out for him, he appreciated both him and his mum so much.

"I know, I understand but if I go back can I still fight? If I go back, will I still be able to box? I won't let it distract me, it's all I've known for the past five years." Harry replied maturely, he wasn't going to whine and complain about going back, he knew he had to take responsibility for his future.

"Of course love. I couldn't take this away from you, it's what you love to do." Anne smiled at him before wrapping him up in a hug.

Alex chuckled at the two fondly, they had always been so close, Anne was an amazing mum to the lad. "I've worked out a plan that works around your schooling, it let's you study and have down time, as well as train. The fights though will have to be worked out along the way, as we can't predict when they'll happen."

Harry nodded as he pulled away from his mum, "Okay, that sounds good. Thanks Alex." He would just have to be positive, school wasn't something to be afraid of anymore, he was older now, he could take care of himself.

Two weeks later it was a week into September and the day Harry was starting school. It was a college not too far from home or the gym, he was going to be taking Business, English and Music. He had always had a passion for music and it grew as he got older, and Business and English were something he had enjoyed when he was at school.

Harry knew there would be a chance of some people from his previous school being there, but he chose not to think about it, he wouldn't let assholes dictate his life again.

The first day had been going okay, by lunch he had spoken with some friendly classmates and his teachers were pretty nice. As he stood in the lunch line, a group of rowdy and loud boys joined just behind him. It wasn't that he minded the noise, they could do as they pleased, it was just the shoving and pissing about that annoyed him, they kept bumping into him every couple minutes.

As he got closer to the counter, the group did it again, this time it was hard and made him stumble slightly. He was irritated now, but knew he had to stay calm. He turned to face them, jaw clenched, the group now face to face with him.

He used his height and body to his advantage, knowing he could be quite intimidating when he wanted to be. Some of the boys' eyes had widened slightly, Harry was a lot taller than them, he had hit a growth spurt about a year ago and towered over most people, he was also very muscular but lean from his years of boxing.

"Uh, sorry mate." One boy mumbled out scratching the back of his head nervously. Harry immediately found a couple of familiar faces looking back at him, so he just nodded stiffly before turning his back to them. Harry chuckled under his breath lightly, it kind of amused him that the scrawny kid that had spoken up had been one of the kids that had put him in hospital, but now he was clearly intimidated by him.

One of the other boys had heard Harry laugh at them, he wasn't one to ever take shit from people, not even when he could see how much smaller he was in comparison to the lad in front of him. "Oi mate, we said sorry. Why're you laughing?" He asked boldly, his mates were slightly alarmed not wanting to piss off the guy infront of them, but they knew that this wasn't unusual for their friend.

Harry turned around once again, brow furrowed as he saw a smaller lad with bright blue eyes staring back at him. This kid? Harry didn't know whether to be impressed or not, the boy was a lot smaller but seemed to know how to hold his own.

Harry didn't really want to start an argument, he wasn't one for violence unless it was supervised and in the ring. He decided to just be honest, "I recognise a couple of you is all, I found it amusing how you just cowered away from me now." Harry shrugged trying not to laugh again at the groups confused faces.

"What the fuck is that meant to mean?" The same boy asked, crossing his arms over his chest to seem more confident. "Louis!" One of the boys' friends hissed, trying to get him to back off before things got heated. So, Louis was the blue eyed boys name. 

Harry found the lad very attractive, he hoped the boy was actually a decent person when he wasn't going around looking for a fight, but it was crazy of Harry to think that he could be when he chose to hang around with a bunch of twats.

"Don't recognise me Stanley?" Harry chuckled, his voice deep but laced with a hint of amusement. The lad in question, looked back at him confusedly, while his mates all turned to face him wanting to know more. Louis though, stood his ground, his face had softened slightly but he wasn't backing down just yet.

As Stan thought away looking for any sign of how he knew the lad, Harry faced the blue eyed boy, sending him a cheeky side smile. It confused Louis to no end.

Once Harry heard a gasp, he knew that everything had clicked, and looked back at Stan with an emotionless face. "Long time no see." Harry said, clenching his jaw once again, he felt a flood of emotions rip through him now that the boy knew who he was, but he knew how to keep his cool. He wasn't going to stoop down to Stan's level.

Everyone was so confused, especially Louis. Stan was his best mate and he watched on as his face paled, the normally cocky and overconfident lad was now nervous, and some would say frightened?

"What the fucks happening Stan?" Louis questioned, his glare now in the direction of his mate. They were still in the line but everyone's attention was now on them, and no teachers were around to stop it.

Stan gulped before he stuttered out a 'Harry'. Some of the lads still looked so confused not understanding at all, but the name set of alarm bells in the others heads. The kid they had brutally beaten day after day for the fun of it, was stood here, and didn't look very happy to see them. "Can someone tell me what's going on!" Louis exclaimed frustratedly, at this point he didn't care who told him, he just wanted to know what was happening. 

"Crazy to see you lads again. The next time I thought I'd see you lot was in a hospital bed." Harry grimaced, their faces truly sickened him, they put him and his family through so much shit.

"Don't threaten him!" Louis glared at Harry, who just laughed at the boys misunderstanding. 

"No love, no threats." Harry spoke, making Louis blush slightly at the nickname, "What I meant was, I thought if I ever had the misfortune of coming across your friends again, it would result with me lying in a hospital bed for weeks on end. Guess things have changed." Harry was trying his best to remain calm, he was, but they were sick people. 

"What?" Louis breathed out, his brows were furrowed as he couldn't comprehend what Harry was saying, Stan wouldn't do that, he couldn't.

"Lou." Stan finally spoke up but his voice was shakey. Louis just scoffed at him, knowing from that reaction that Stan had done exactly what Harry had said. 

Louis turned to Harry, "Why?" He asked, he needed answers now. 

"I was twelve, they thought it would be funny to beat the shit out of me in an alleyway on the way home from school. I laid there for hours thinking I was going to die there, cold and alone, before I gathered enough strength to practically crawl home. My mum was horrified, I was coughing up blood on her doorstep, before being dragged away in an ambulance. I was in hospital for four weeks, didn't fully recover until a couple months later." Harry fumed, it was taking everything in him not to splatter this kids face across the lunchroom floor, as he thought about all the pain he had caused his mum. 

The whole room was silent, some people had tears in their eyes from hearing Harry's story, some just sat shocked. The group of boys separated, the ones who knew nothing of the incident backed away leaving three standing by Stan, along with a lost Louis.

"Why would you do something like that?" Louis asked Stan, looking so disappointed, angry even. Stan said nothing, unable to look him in the eye. "Why?!" Louis snapped, still no words were said, so Louis looked up at a very angry Harry.

Harry closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, before facing the blue eyed boy. "Because I was gay." Harry said proudly, because he was proud, he wasn't ashamed of who he was anymore, and he wasn't going to cower away ever again because of it.

Louis swallowed a large lump in his throat. He did not expect that, not at all. Stan had been so supportive of him, when he told his best friend he liked boys Stan was there, he couldn't believe this. 

Stan was still gazing at the floor, ashamed. The three other boys didn't say much either, but had the decency to look Harry in the eye, faces wracked with guilt.

"Stan, is it true?" Louis whispered, afraid of the answer. His best mate only nodded in response. Louis could feel his eyes glaze over, the boy he called his best mate was a monster.

Harry couldn't take this anymore, he needed to hit something, hard. If he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to contain himself for much longer. So he shook his head at the group, not knowing what else he could say or do, and just headed for the exit.

The sound of the double doors slamming behind Harry startled Louis from his thoughts, he looked around to see that the tall boy had gone.

He knew he had to go after the lad, he didn't know why or what he would even say, but he had to make sure he was okay. "Stay the hell away from me." He spat in Stan's ear as he brushed past him harshly. Louis heard the boy call out for him but he didn't care.

Once the cold September air hit his skin, Louis aimlessly looked about for the tall muscular boy. Louis spotted a head of curls making there way across the campus, he had to catch Harry before he left, so he sprinted after him. 

Harry was breathing deeply, the gym was a good ten minute walk, if he ran he could make it there in five. He was about to start running when a familiar voice called out his name. Harry turned to find the blue eyed boy headed his way.

Harry was more than confused once Louis had stopped in front of him, panting slightly. "If you've come here just to-" Harry started.

"I'm sorry." Louis interrupted, his breathing still laboured as he tried to catch his breath.

"Why? You have nothing to apologise for." Harry replied, he didn't need any sympathy, what he needed was his gloves.

"I know, I'm just sorry he put you through that." Louis said softly as he lifted his head to look Harry in the eye. Harry couldn't help but laugh lightly at the height difference, Louis was tiny.

"Why are you laughing? I'm trying to be sincere here!" Louis playfully pouted, but it only made Harry laugh louder.

"I'm sorry you're just so small and cute!" Harry grinned as he shook his head fondly at the lad.

"Awh gimme a break, I'm big!" Louis countered, he knew he wasn't the tallest guy, and being around Harry didn't help at all, but he wasn't small!

Harry just chuckled, but then Louis realised something, "Wait, you think I'm cute?" He smiled widely, making Harry's eyes widen in surprise.

"Uh, I guess I so." Harry said sheepishly, most of his anger was now replaced by nervousness. "Beautiful even." Harry added.

Louis blushed, no one had ever called him beautiful, he liked it a lot. "Thank you, you're not too bad either." Louis teased.

"Wow, thank you so much Louis!" Harry said sarcastically, slightly amused by the comment.

"You're most welcome." Louis grinned, winking at the boy, "So where you headed?" He asked as they started to walk side by side.

"The gym." Harry said bluntly, now remembering everything that had just occurred before Louis had made him momentarily forget.

"Oh. So you like to work out?" Louis spoke as he and Harry turned a corner. 

"I'm a boxer, so I guess it's kind of working out, I don't see it that way really." Harry shrugged, he loved boxing, he saw working out as a chore no one really wanted to do, boxing was his release, his passion. 

"Wow, a boxer. Any good?" Louis grinned, the boxing explained Harry's physic. What? The guy was toned and lean, Louis would bet that Harry had a a six pack hiding under that shirt. 

Harry shrugged sheepishly, he knew he was good but didn't want to come across as big headed, especially in front of Louis. "You can come find out if you want." Harry said, deciding that if Louis wanted to he could come watch him train, Alex wasn't there so he'd be alone.

"Really?" Louis questioned trying to bite back a grin and hide his excitement.

"Really." Harry smiled.

The two continued speaking as they walked, talking about themselves, their families, hobbies, even their favourite colours, but they didn't bring up what had happened in the lunchroom though.

Once they reached the gym Harry held the large heavy door open for Louis. As they wandered in, Louis took it all in, the huge ring, the boxing bags, the mats, the gloves, then the award wall. It held hundreds of trophy's, medals and belts that the boxers had won.

A large display case caught Louis' eye though, it was the only one that had a large canvas in the centre. Taking a closer look it was a picture of Harry, it looked as if it was taken mid fight, and all the awards surrounding it were won by the green eyed boy.

"You won all of these?" Louis marvelled and as he turned back around he found Harry smiling at him. 

"Yeah." Harry replied as he headed over to a mat, throwing his bag in its usual spot.

"So you are good!" Louis exclaimed making Harry chuckle, "How long have you been training?" Louis asked as he headed over to where Harry sat.

"Uh, about five years." Harry smiled up at the blue eyed boy as he started to grab his gear. He was in decent enough clothes to train just needed his boots and gloves.

Louis added it all up, Harry must have started after the incident, he decided not to say anything about it though. "A while then. You win a lot of fights?"

Harry chuckled as he pulled his boots out of his bag, "Every one."

"You've never lost?" Louis was unsure whether to believe him or not, five years and he'd never lost? How good was Harry?

Harry just hummed in response as he laced up his boots, "Wanna help me wrap my hands?"

Louis raised his brows in surprise, "Uh, I don't know how." He admitted, he had never even stepped foot in a boxing gym before, how would he know how to help Harry?

"It's fine, just gotta wrap them up, I'll guide you." Harry smiled as he grabbed the cotton wrap from beside him, patting the bench in front of where he was sat, gesturing for Louis to sit.

Louis did so, he was nervous, he didn't want to fuck up and have Harry blame him, but instead of protesting he just took a deep breath and sat down.

Harry let out a laugh apon seeing Louis' nervous expression, "Don't worry love. It'll be fine."

Louis' breath hitched at the nickname but if Harry noticed he hadn't called him out on it. "Okay." Louis breathed out, "Hand it over."

Harry grinned as he handed the smaller boy the wrap, then outstretched his hand so it was in position.

"Okay, so see that loop just put it over my thumb there." Harry told him, Louis followed instruction before looking back up at Harry for the next step. "Good, so start wrapping around my wrist." Harry said, "A little tighter." He advised as Louis seemed afraid to hurt him, it was sweet though.

"Next, you've gotta cross the palm to wrap my thumb, make sure there's no wrinkles." Harry spoke, Louis was good at this, a quick learner. "So we gotta wrap my fingers now, just guide it between each one." Louis nodded.

"That's good, just wrap the hand again and secure it." Harry told him. Louis did as told, before moving over to wrap the other hand. Harry was pretty impressed with the final result.

"Not bad! Pretty good for your first time." Harry praised, before looking over to see a blushing Louis, only then realising how weird that had sounded. 

"Wow Harry, bit forward." Louis chuckled. The two just laughed though, then Harry poked his tongue out at him before running over to the boxing bag, gloves in hand.

Louis watched Harry train for the next hour or so, he was pretty incredible, and Louis couldn't help but get a little flustered every time Harry's muscles flexed when he hit the bag.

Once Harry had finished up, he was quick to offer Louis food, as they hadn't actually eaten at lunch, and he didn't mind spending more time with the blue eyed boy. 

Louis agreed, he was starving now that Harry had mentioned it. They cleaned up and headed out to a small cafe round the corner. It was quiet and the food smelled amazing.

As they ate they spoke more, Harry even learned that Louis was the type of person to dip his chips in his milkshake, it would have bothered him being anyone else, but Louis looked so cute sat across from him.

They got really close after that day, spending most of their free time together, they just enjoyed eachothers company. They had the same classes at college, spent time round each others houses, Harry would go and watch Louis' footie games while Louis came to support him at his fights.

They had met each others families, Louis' sisters liked Harry a lot, Louis even met Alex and they had clicked too. Anne was definitely happy to see her son so happy, because that's what Louis did, he made Harry's days so much brighter.

Months later after Harry had won one of his biggest fights to date, he was so high on adrenaline that he finally had enough courage to ask Louis out, after basically falling for him since day one. Louis of course said yes, he felt the exact same way!

Louis had cut Stan out of his life completely, and he and Harry made a new group of amazing friends, Zayn, Liam and Niall. The three boys were so great, the five of them felt like old friends from the very start, and when Harry and Louis started dating they were so supportive.

College had ended, the lads had finished their exams, getting some of the best marks in the school. Harry's boxing career had taken off over the course of the last six months, so he was taking a gap year so he could travel the world fighting. Louis didn't want to start uni without his boyfriend and Liam, Zayn and Niall didn't want to separate from the couple just yet. So they all decided to join Harry and support him, as well as travel and explore the world, before heading off to uni together next year!


End file.
